In the process of manufacturing semiconductor devices, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), recording media such as a hard disk, photo-masks, and display devices using thin film transistors such as a liquid crystal display and an EL display or the like, substrates (objects to be processed) are treated with liquid. For example, patterning is carried out on substrates, stacked films, resist films, and so on by liquid treatment and the like to form minute structural bodies on the substrates. Further, impurities or residues remaining on substrates are removed by cleaning using liquid. In addition, these processes are carried out in combination.
When removing the liquid after liquid treatment, sometimes the minute structural bodies formed on the substrates collapse due to the surface tension of the liquid. In particular, as patterns are down-sized and the aspect ratios of structural bodies become higher, pattern collapse when removing the liquid can easily occur.